List of characters in The Lion King
| Mufasa | |
|---|---|
| Voiced by |
James Earl Jones (films) Samuel E. Wright (original Broadway cast) Gary Anthony Williams (The Lion Guard series) |
| Supervising animator | Tony Fucile |
| Species | Lion |
| Sarabi | |
|---|---|
| Voiced by |
Madge Sinclair (film) Gina Breedlove (original Broadway cast) |
| Supervising animator | Russ Edmonds |
| Species | Lioness |
| Zazu | |
|---|---|
| Voiced by |
Rowan Atkinson (Original Film) Edward Hibbert (Sequels) Michael Gough (Various Merchandise) Jeff Bennett (The Lion Guard) |
| Supervising animator | Ellen Woodbury |
| Aliases | Banana Beak (by Simba) |
| Species | Red-billed hornbill |
| Rafiki | |
|---|---|
| Voiced by |
Robert Guillaume (films and video games) Tsidii Le Loka (original Broadway cast) Khary Payton (The Lion Guard) |
| Supervising animator | James Baxter |
| Species | Mandrill |
| Shenzi, Banzai and Ed | |
|---|---|
| Supervising animators |
David Burgess Whoopi Goldberg (films) Tress MacNeille (Timon & Pumbaa, The Lion King: Simba's Mighty Adventure and Kingdom Hearts II) Jenifer Lewis (Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom) Banzai: Cheech Marin (films, Kingdom Hearts II and Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom) Rob Paulsen (Timon & Pumbaa, The Lion King: Simba's Mighty Adventure) Ed: Jim Cummings |
| Species | Spotted hyenas |
| Sarafina | |
|---|---|
| Voiced by | Zoe Leader (film) |
| Supervising animator | Silvia Hoefnagels |
| Species | Lioness |
| Gopher | |
|---|---|
| Voiced by | Jim Cummings |
| Species | Mole |
| Quint | |
|---|---|
| Voiced by | Corey Burton |
| Species | Human |
| Speedy | |
|---|---|
| Voiced by | Corey Burton |
| Species | Snail |
| Fred | |
|---|---|
| Voiced by | S. Scott Bullock |
| Species | Meerkat |
The following are fictional characters from Disney's The Lion King franchise.
A total of thirteen supervising animators from Walt Disney Feature Animation and Disney-MGM Studios were responsible for establishing the personalities and setting the tone for the first film's main characters. The animation team studied real-life animals for reference, as was done for the earlier film Bambi. The animation of the characters counted with supervision by wildlife experts such as Jim Fowler, who visited the studio on several occasions with lions and other animals to help the animators reproduce authentic behavior. Screenwriter Irene Mecchi joined the directing team to help in the character development process and define each character's personality. Story head Brenda Chapman spoke of the challenges of character development.
Simba, meaning "lion", is the protagonist of The Lion King, the musical, and several video games. Simba is the son of Mufasa and Sarabi. During the events of The Lion King, he becomes King of Pride Rock. In The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, they have a daughter, Kiara. As the events of The Lion King 1½ occur during the same time as the original film, his upbringing with Timon & Pumbaa is further explored. In The Lion Guard, he and Nala have a second-born cub Kion, who is Kiara's younger brother. Jonathan Taylor Thomas played young Simba and Matthew Broderick played adult Simba.
Nala, whose name means "gift", is Simba's best friend and playmate in childhood. She debuts as a cub in the first film of the franchise and accompanies Simba into the forbidden Elephant Graveyard. She later appears mourning over Simba's alleged "death" before finally reappearing as a young adult who unknowingly entangles herself in a brawl with a mature Simba after having attempted to attack Pumbaa. A romance gradually blossoms between the pair during the "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" sequence. Nala urges the reluctant Simba to return to the desolate Pride Lands, corrupted by Scar's tyrannical kingship, and claim the throne. Simba is encouraged by Rafiki and his father's spirit to return home and confront his uncle. Nala, accompanied by Timon, Pumbaa, and the lionesses of the Pride Lands, battle against the hyenas after successfully toppling Scar's reign. She was horrified when Simba admitted to her and the other lionesses his mistaken belief that he was responsible for Mufasa's death, and enraged when she later learned that it was in fact Scar who had murdered Mufasa and had tricked Simba into thinking he was responsible for his father's death.
...
Wikipedia